


Home for the Holidays

by pronnpto



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:34:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28251744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pronnpto/pseuds/pronnpto
Summary: There's nothing quite like celebrating Christmas with friends. Especially when two of them are planning to propse.
Relationships: G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Warrior of Light, Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch/Warrior of Light
Kudos: 2





	Home for the Holidays

The sky was grey. Thick, fluffy clouds blocked out the sun as snowflakes fell, coating the ground and turning the world into a mix of whites and greys. Despite this, the city streets were bustling with activity. Cafes were full to the brim, people gathered in booths and at the counters nursing their drinks as they spoke. Whether it be an intimate conversation between two or a joyous, teary-eyed reunion, everyone was enjoying time with those they loved. Fyn couldn’t help but admire the vibrant lights decorating the store fronts and the tinsel hung between street lamps. In the distance, a group of carolers could be heard, their melody floating through the air. She smiled, and a gentle squeeze of her hand grounded her.

“We’re almost there.” G’raha smiled.

He stood beside Fyn, a thick grey muffler wrapped around his neck. A red fleece jacket complemented the beanie on his head. His breath appeared in small white puffs before him, and his nose and cheeks were tinted red from the cold. Instinctively her heart fluttered, and she willed it to slow. As if to distract herself, she tightened her grip on the bags in her free hand. They were filled with gifts: some were wrapped in small boxes with colorful paper, while others rest in tiny gift bags decorated with festive designs. To her left, G’raha also held a bag, only his was filled to the brim with containers of treats.

“Do you think we brought enough?” G’raha laughed.

“You brought enough to feed the Scions ten times over. We’re _fine_.” He squeezed her hand.

Fyn’s cheeks burned bright, and she was thankful that she could excuse it as just the cold getting to her. Looking ahead, a familiar home came into view and she beamed. Her feet began moving faster, and her ears flickered as if searching for her friend’s voices, their laughter. In response G’raha laughed, and in turn her ears twitched in his direction. Still, he too picked up the pace and before long they arrived at their destination.

Urianger and Thancred’s home was nestled between two larger grey ones. A simple wooden fence acted as a barrier, and their manicured lawn was filled to the brim with lights and large blow-ups, all of various characters and festive creatures. The edging for the roof was lined with colorful lights, and in the center of their window a brilliant spruce filled to the brim with whimsical ornaments could be seen. 

G’raha released Fyn’s hand and opened the gate, and she stifled a grumble at the loss of warmth. Still, as she drew closer to the front door and the giant wreath that hung upon it, she couldn’t contain her excitement. Her tail swished back and forth, and her sparkling eyes met her lover’s. 

“You’re so cute,” he whispered, smiling in a way that only _she_ had seen. Her tail bristled, and she swatted at him with her free hand. 

The rattling of the doorknob had their ears and heads swiveling, and it swung open to reveal Ryne and Gaia. Ryne wore a thick wool sweater. It was pastel pink and went to just above her knees. Black leggings peeked out from beneath, and colorful Christmas socks stretched out just below. She was beaming, and were it not for the smirk that tugged at her companion’s lips, one would think they were complete opposites, incapable of being friends or anything similar. Ryne wore a plain black sweater, the same as Ryne’s, but threads of various shades of grey and silver accented it. She too wore black leggings and Christmas socks, something Ryne had undoubtedly begged her to do.

“Merry Christmas!” They said in unison.

“Come inside; everyone’s waiting!” Ryne chirped.

Without waiting for a response, she grabbed both Fyn and G’raha’s hands and tugged them past the threshold. The sweet smell of sugar cookies and cinnamon filled the air. Carefully removing their shoes and coats, the four made their way deeper into the house. The walls were plain, lacking any kind of wallpaper, but they were filled with picture frames. Some were of Urianger and Thancred’s wedding, while others were of the Scions at various gatherings. Every single one told the story of their lives, and Fyn’s heart swelled as she took it all in. 

“No matter how many times I’m here, I can’t get over these photos.” Gaia chuckled and nodded towards the bags in their hands.

“We can take care of these. You two go ahead and mingle.”

“It’s okay, really-” Ryne cut her off, snatching the bags from her hand with a blinding smile.

“Let us play the host for once. It’s not fair to always make Dad play the role.” Fyn sighed, but conceded.

G’raha laughed, reaching for her hand when the thundering sound of footsteps filled the hallway. A flash of red charged at them, and her tail bristled. Before she could dodge a body lunged at her, and she stumbled a few steps back. G’raha quickly reached out to rest a hand on the small of her back, attempting to stabilize her. 

“Fyn!” Blinking, a familiar set of green and purple eyes met her own. Hands shifted to wrap around Rosa’harrio’s shoulders and she flashed her a smirk.

“Merry Christmas,” Fyn said with a laugh. “It’s been forever, hasn’t it?” 

After all, it wasn’t often that the Scions gathered together. Other than Thancred and Urianger who remained in the heart of the city, close to the university where they had all met, everyone else had spread their wings, leaving to follow their hearts. Holidays, Christmas especially, were some of the few special occasions that brought them together. 

Pulling back, Fyn was finally able to take in the ~~monstrosity~~ lovely Christmas sweater that her friend wore. It was pine tree green, with a red collar and trimming at the bottom. A large Christmas tree was in the center, 3D pieces hanging off it. Small fluffs of sparkling cotton and real, sparkling, and colorful bulbs had her shirt twinkling. Fyn could only imagine how it made Emet feel. 

As if on cue, a set of footsteps sounded down the hall and the elder man appeared, dressed much more casually than his counterpart. He wore a simple black turtleneck and slacks, a Christmas tie the only sign of his Christmas spirit (one he probably only wore to appease his fiance). He stopped a few feet away, offering the trio a brilliant smile.

“I’m glad you finally decided to show up.” And the reality of his smile, or rather, smirk, came to light. 

G’raha quickly stepped in between Fyn and Emet, offering his own smile. A cold breeze blew through the hallway, and Rosa’harrio let out a long, drawn out groan. She pulled away from Fyn, offering a sheepish smile before scowling at Emet. 

“Oh hush, you. We’ve barely been here five minutes ourselves.” 

And he spluttered, his ruse completely and utterly annihilated by a few words. G’raha, in turn, couldn’t stop laughing, and it was Fyn’s turn to step in. 

“You’d think that after this long they’d learn to cooperate,” Rosa sneers, giving her fiance the stink eye before _shoo_ -ing him further down the hallway. “We really shouldn’t be hanging out here, anyway. Wait ‘til you see Than and Uri’s tree! Or, I guess, second tree. It’s _breathtaking_!” She takes Fyn’s hand, dragging her further into the home with a smile. “I still can’t believe they have _two_ trees. I’m so jealous!”

Passing the threshold of the living room, the smell of baked goods and the fireplace hit her fully, and it’s as if Christmas itself had come to life in this one room. In the back and center sat a large, grand brick firecase. To the right and in the corner of the room sat a Christmas Tree so large that the uppermost branches were bending where it met the ceiling. Hundreds of colorful, whimsical ornaments rest on its branches, and at the top, the star was seemingly _taped_ in place.

“I must admit it’s not our best venture into decorating, but Ryne insisted we get the biggest tree on the lot.” Thancred stepped into the living room from the kitchen, dressed in a sweater similar to the one Ryne and Gaia had been wearing. The matching family Christmas sweaters really suited him. Atop his head sat a classic Santa hat, and in his hands were two steaming mugs. 

“You know it was a good idea!” Ryne argued, squeezing behind Fyn and G’raha as she made her way towards the tree. “All of the other trees were far too small.”

A bout of laughter came from the kitchen, and soon Y’shtola, Alisaie, Alphinaud, and Urianger stepped out, all wearing their own sets of Christmas attire. For a moment Y’shtola and Alisaie pause, looking at the tree, specifically the star at the top, as if it had offended them somehow, and they shook their heads in unison. 

Everyone had gathered around the lopsided tree, exchanging pleasantries and nibbling on cookies and other sweet treats. Fyn and G’raha had split off to mingle with everyone else, both of them offering the beautifully decorated sugar cookies that he had made. 

“I didn’t realize G’raha Tia was so skilled in the kitchen,” Alphinaud mused as she bit into a wreath shaped cookie decorated with frosting and sprinkled with sugar. He could only laugh.

“After the last incident with Fyn and Rosa in the kitchen, I’ve decided it’s best to keep them _out_ while any kind of cooking is going on.”

“Hey, it wasn’t that bad!” Rosa’harrio leaned in, tail bristling. “Sure, everything was burned and we nearly set the kitchen on fire, but the food was good!”

“It was _edible_ at most,” Emet corrected, smirking. “Although, I doubt even a dog would have eaten that hockey puck of a burger. How we got blessed with such skilled chiefs, I’ll never know.”

Everyone laughed, the atmosphere in the room light and warm. It wasn’t long before everyone dispersed throughout the first floor of the house, nursing steaming mugs of hot chocolate and various mixed drinks. It was then G’raha Tia found himself along with Emet-Selch, the two silently sitting before the fireplace. And that silence stretched over them, long and awkward and punctuated by the rumble of conversation coming from throughout the rest of the house.

G’raha ran his thumb in circles over the warm ceramic of the mug in his hands, and even though the air was heavy, if only between the two of them, today was a good day. Although it seemed as if the Twelve wanted to test his patience. Emet-Selch cleared his throat, nodding in the direction of Fyn, Rosa’harrio, and Alisaie. 

“Things are going well, I assume?” 

It was his best attempt at starting a conversation with G’raha in a long, long time. After all these years, the two still struggled to get along. As two rival sororities at university, the Ascians and Scions always struggled to get along. Even now, years after they had left campus grounds, the two felt the need to stay on their sides of the invisible ‘line’. Still, being in a relationship with two inseparable friends made said rivalry a little _difficult_ to maintain. And also incredibly silly.

“Yeah, you could say that.” G’raha sets his mug down on the coffee table before him, shoving his hands into his pockets and fiddling with the small, velvet box inside. For a moment he remains silent, mulling over his choice in words before letting out a sigh. “I need some…”

“Advice?” Emet-Selch smirks, but it lacks the teasing edge it normally had. His eyes softened, and he glanced back in Fyn’s direction. “I really don’t think you need any, but if you _insist_ on asking, I can only offer this: be yourself.” And he wanted to groan at how cheesy that was, how cheesy this whole situation was, but it was the honest truth. “Fyn fell in love with you for who you are. Why fix what isn’t broken?” 

With that he rose, and it was only then G’raha Tia noticed Rosa and Fyn making their way over towards the duo. The redhead's tail swayed behind her, cocking her head as she met Emet’s gaze. The two held an unspoken conversation, her eyes sparkling in glee as she quickly took hold of her fiance’s arm and dragged him away. 

Alone in the hallway, she wrapped her arms around his neck, smirking. Flashing her canines, she leaned in. “What was that all about?”

“You know what that was about,” he countered, shrugging his shoulders to loosen her grip. Instead Rosa’harrio leaned in, brushing her lips against his cheek.

“I didn’t know you two had gotten so close,” she chirped. That sparkle in her eyes only grew more brilliant, and Emet couldn’t help but sigh. Her shoulders shook as she held in her laugh, and she nuzzled against his cheek. “It seems we’ve got an interesting night ahead of us.”

Emet-Selch wanted to question her further, but the mistletoe hanging above them had other ideas.

* * *

“What’s up, G’raha? You’ve been staring off at the tree for a while now…” Fyn had noticed him struggling to focus on conversations for most of the night, especially since speaking with Emet, and at first she brushed it off as him simply thinking about an ancient society and their traditional holiday celebrations (“The Allagans had giant _robots_ to help them celebrate the holidays! If only we had that kind of help when setting up the tree…”), but it quickly became evident that it was something else entirely. 

“It’s n-nothing,” he splutters, snapped out of his hazy state of mind. She can’t help but frown, leaning in closer and cupping his cheek.

“You’re not feeling sick or anything, right?” Ever the caring soul, she instantly switched into ‘mother’ mode, pressing her forehead against his own. Despite how intimate they’d been countless times before, G’raha’s cheeks burn and he shakes his head. Fyn sighs, resting her chin in her palm as she stares him down. “You’re not hiding anything from me?” 

Across the room, she swears she hears Emet-Selch’s laughter, but with how quickly it’s cut off and replaced with a grunt, she knows she must be imagining things. G’raha Tia is still unable to meet her gaze, and she decides it’s time to get the _plan_ in motion.

So she stands, meeting his gaze and clearing her throat. The few members of the Scions that are in the room turn to face her, and her cheeks burn. She reaches into her back pocket, and pulls out a small velvet box. 

“No way,” Emet-Selch mutters, meeting his fiance’s gaze as her devilish grin spreads from ear to ear. Kneeling before G’raha Tia, Fyn’s voice wavers as she begins.

“G’raha Tia, we’ve been together since we were small, innocent children with no idea of where we wanted to go when we grew up. Yet with every step we took, we stood beside one another, guiding and helping each other through all the tough times.”

 _This can’t be happening_ , he can’t help but think, instinctively reaching into his own pocket for _his_ small velvet box. 

“No matter what comes in the future, I want to be together with you.” Fyn’s gaze is like molten amber now, shining with unshed tears. 

“G’raha Tia, will you marry me?”

He remains silent for a long time, and Fyn’s ears flatten to her head. She desperately looks around, trying to assess the damage of her failed proposal only to meet Rosa’harrio’s gaze. She’s... _laughing_?

“I, uh….actually…” G’raha finally speaks up, thrusting something into her face. It was a blur at first, far too close to her eyes for her to make out the object’s details, but as soon as it came into focus she felt her jaw drop. 

“ _Oh_.”

“I guess now’s as good a time as any to ask,” he says with a laugh. Now it was his turn to kneel, and he smiled at her, eyes softening. “Fyn Abriel, will you marry me?” And for a moment they both remain kneeling, in front of one another, the tension in the air thick and heavy. That is, until Rosa’harrio’s laughter bursts out, echoing through the small room while her hands are clutching her sides.

“Oh you fools, I think we all know what the answer is.” It was Emet’s turn to shush her, gently whacking her shoulder as he nodded at G’raha Tia. 

“I do.”

It was perfectly in sync, and as quickly as it’s spoken the two are in one another’s arms, their lips pressed together in a kiss. As if waiting for this moment, the rest of the Scions come out from hiding and are cheering and clapping. Urianger steps forward, offering a bottle of champagne to the duo.

“We had planned on saving this bottle for New Year’s, but I think we have a good enough reason to open it tonight.”

Ryne bounces forward as G’raha and Fyn separate, clapping her hands together. “Oh congratulations! I had heard that Fyn was planning on proposing tonight, but to think you two had both planned the same thing…”

“It was really sweet,” Gaia offers, her normally vacant expression exchanged for a gentle smile. 

Everyone stepped forward and offered their best wishes to the couple until finally it was Rosa’harrio and Emet’s turn. Wearing her best shit-eating grin, she wrapped her arms around Fyn and pulled her in for a tight embrace. 

“Congrats,” she whispered as she squeezed her tight. “And, uh, sorry for ruining the moment?” They could both feel Emet’s icy gaze on the redhead, but Fyn couldn’t help but laugh.

“I still find it really, really funny that we both had the same idea.”

“With how insync you two are, it's not that weird,” Rosa hums. “Still, I’m jealous of how romantic it all was. Together in front of a fireplace, right next to the Christmas tree, and the festive spirit in the air...it was basically the perfect proposal. Kudos to the both of you.”

Fyn’s cheeks are burning once again, but the warm hand at her back grounds her, reminds her that this moment is _real_ and things are going exactly as she hoped they would. 

“Thank you, really,” she whispers, feeling tears sting at her eyes. 

“Now, now, we wouldn’t want a case of waterworks dampening the mood, would we?” Emet reaches out, resting a hand on Fyn’s head and rustling her hair. His golden eyes are soft as they look between her and G’raha. “Take care of each other.”

“Of course,” G’raha says, his tail wrapping around Fyn’s. “We’ll take good care of each other.”

“Perfect!” Rosa’harrio clapped, ears flickering as she rocked back and forth from the balls of her feet to her heels. “Now then, how about we go eat? Urianger and Thancred just finished cooking, and it smells _amazing_.” Her and Emet turn tail, heading into the dinning room and allowing the newly engaged couple a moment to themselves.

“Great minds think alike, huh?” Fyn chuckles, nudging G’raha’s shoulder with her own. “Merry Christmas, love.”

“Merry Christmas. Let’s enjoy that dinner with everyone, shall we?”

And just like they had done countless times before, Fyn and G’raha walked hand in hand towards the future-- _together_.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading! This was a very self indulgent piece I wrote as a gift for my friend! I absolutely love writing Fyn and G'raha, and this gave me an excuse to write some Rosa and Emet too! Also the cat people are still cat people cause HECK YEAH MIQO'TE. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! Stay safe out there!


End file.
